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Thursday, November 17, 2011

Kathleen Long and...

CHASING RAINBOWS

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ISBN: 1466443723

What’s that saying
about the devil you know? For Bernadette Murphy, it's the devil she never
expected that changes everything. Her father’s sudden death leaves a gaping
void in her life and is one in a series of events that rock her world. But with
the discovery of her father’s book of cryptograms, Bernie realizes his encoded
lessons in living may be exactly what she needs to survive.

When Bernie finds
herself in trouble at home, out of work and banned from the mall after a
confrontation at the cosmetic counter, she discovers what her father always
knew. In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow, or you don’t.

Kathleen Long is a
RITA® nominated, RIO Award and two-time Gayle Wilson Award of
Excellence winning author of fourteen novels of contemporary romance, romantic
suspense and women’s fiction. Her additional honors include National
Readers Choice, Holt Medallion, Booksellers Best, and Book Buyers Best award
nominations. After a career spent spinning words for clients ranging from
corporate CEOs to talking fruits and vegetables, she finds great joy spinning
words for fictional characters, places and plots. She divides her time between
suburban Philadelphia and the Jersey shore.

GREENING INFORMATION

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a
story?KATHLEEN: Every day! There isn’t a moment in which my brain’s not
working my latest WIP or plotting a new adventure. In the quiet before bedtime
each night, I turn the pages of someone else’s story and lose myself. I think
there’s no better way to quiet my mind and relax.

ANGI: What’s the first book you remember reading?KATHLEEN:Wow, tough question
when your memory is as horrible as mine! I’m sure it was something by Dr.
Seuss. Probably GO, DOG, GO. One of my favorites. I know that once I started
reading like crazy, I was all about Nancy Drew. All Nancy Drew, all the time!

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character? KATHLEEN:I’ve been exposed to many, many, many, many hours of SpongeBob, and I have to say I adore
SpongeBob’s snail, Gary. That little guy is the most effective communicator
I’ve ever seen. He says so much with every “Meow.” He tends to be a bit snarky,
too. Extra points for that!ANGI: What turns you off like nothing else? KATHLEEN:Rude people. Impatient
people. People who can’t be bothered to hold a door or say thank you. People
who can’t be bothered to make eye contact and smile. People who don’t remember
that a little kindness goes a long way. How do I really feel about this topic,
right? ;o)

ANGI: Where do you read and how often? KATHLEEN:Once upon a time, in a
galaxy far, far away, before having a five-year-old, I read everywhere and
anywhere I could. Now, my only reading time is just before I call it a night.
Early mornings are saved for writing, so reading gets the late-night time slot.
As for how often? Every night!

ANGI: Fairy Tale or Action Adventure?KATHLEEN:Both. I go back and
forth and love both! Much like my writing, I’ve been known to go on a romantic
comedy reading binge, followed by a suspense/thriller binge. Lately I’m devouring
big stories of friendship and life and learning...all with heartwarming
character growth and happy endings, of course.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time? KATHLEEN:It’s a Wonderful Life.
Sigh. Internal conflict, external conflict, life, love, loss, doubt...this
story has it all. I love nothing more than stories that remind us life is what
we make it, and often, the greatest adventure of all is the one we’re living
each day. Every life has a story and every life matters. Love this movie!

ANGI: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the
heroine’s role?KATHLEEN:I’d have to say
sometimes yes and sometimes no. If she’s similar to me at all – neurotic,
middle-aged, slightly-warped – then, yes. Otherwise, no. I enjoy the story for
the story. I enjoy the characters, if well-developed, for who they are and for
how they play out on the page.

ANGI: What’s something you’d like to tell your fans?KATHLEEN: I’d love to tell them to
grab life every day and do their best to enjoy each moment. Have fun. Laugh
until you cry. Love until your heart aches. Get out there and live life!

In CHASING RAINBOWS, Bernie learns to do just this. There is
so much truth behind Bernie’s story, yet the journey is pure fiction. That
being said, I hope readers will come away from the story inspired, smiling and
hopeful.

I’d also like to tell my readers I’m hard at work on new
stories – more Body Hunters and a new small-town series full of quirky
characters and poignant moments. I hope they’ll keep an eye out for both.

ANGI’S GOTTA ASK:I adore
the title of your book, Kath. Tell us a little about how you came up with the
idea for your story.KATHLEEN’s GOTTA ANSWER:After my father died, we discovered
a manuscript he’d written sixty years earlier. That got me to thinking about
the treasures our loved ones leave behind, and it also got me thinking about a
book of cryptogram quotes my father had given me several years before he died.
I’d asked him to keep a journal of family stories, and he’d given me
cryptograms...just like Bernie’s father in Chasing Rainbows.

In Chasing
Rainbows, however, Bernie’s dad inscribes the journal with his favorite saying.
“In life, you either choose to sing a rainbow or you don’t.”

I find a recurring theme in my writing deals with making the
most of the life you have. Maybe that’s why I love “It’s a Wonderful Life” so
much! But seriously, everyone has “stuff” in their life.

Everyone has heartache
and disappointment, just as everyone has challenges and hope and joy.

Working through the grief of losing my dad helped me work
through other issues I'd denied for a long time, like the loss of our first
daughter. Much of Bernie's story is my story, so this truly is the book of my
heart. That being said, the "what if" for this book hit me one day
when I thought about my husband and I wondered, what if I didn't have a husband
who hung in there through the messy times? My husband would like a disclaimer,
by the way, that he is nothing like the husband in Chasing Rainbows. ;o)

Bernie's story was born. And while much of the subject
matter is serious, the book is full of the quirky characters and warped humor I
love so much. There’s a very sexy new neighbor, a dog who chases airplanes, a
teenager who shaves off her eyebrows and eats peas as comfort food, and more.

I hope Chasing Rainbows will leave readers with a smile and
the knowledge that life goes on, sometimes in the most unexpected ways!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and comment! Thank you, Angi, for hosting me today on Get
Lost In A Story!

ORANGE you glad you stopped by?Kathleen is giving away
three copies of Chasing Rainbows -- winner's choice of print or digital!

UP NEXT:Look for more Body Hunters suspense
titles as well as a new contemporary small-town series, coming in early 2012!

READERS DON’T FORGETto
follow us on Facebook & Twitter (#GetLostStories) for a daily update on
who’s visiting GLIAS and what they might be giving away! Join Jill tomorrow for
Brenna Aubrey and visit next week for Mia Marlow, Tessa Dare and more.~Angi

USA Today Bestseller Angi Morgan is an 11th generation Texan who plots ways to engage her readers with complex story lines, in actual Texas locations. She shares her research and photos on her daily blog: A Picture A Day.

Eli -- I love the sentiment of your comment. Thank you! And photo albums are truly treasures, aren't they? Thanks so much for stopping by today and thanks for your kind words! What a lovely way to start the day. ;o)

Oops! I totally forgot to send Angi an excerpt for today's blog. The good news is that the first two chapters are posted on my site. If you're so inclined, pop on over to www.kathleenlong.com and click on the excerpt links from either the Home or Books page. Thanks!

Hi! I can't wait to read this story, I losted my mom in 1992,and while we cleaned her house out she left each of her kids a journal, I had 2 for when I grew-up I was the most trouble one in the family, and I felt left out but really she loved us all different, she losted a baby after I was born at 11months and at that time men didn't show their feelings and my dad shut her out, then my twin brothers where born, anyways our lives changed-love each of my brothers even though we have gone our seperate ways, and we show our love differently, even my dad has gotten better thru the years since my mom and dad divorced, and since her death. I love your books-and I know I'm gonna enjoy Chasing Rainbows! Happy thanksgiving. carolefiore@yahoo.com

I've always loved rainbows. When my mom died on my 32nd birthday, it was actually one of the best gifts I could ask for. She had suffered from lung cancer, and it was painful to watch her waste away in pain. The odd thing is, she left me rainbows. You see, the day she died (December 31), there was a full rainbow in the sky. More amazingly...every day from then until she was buried, there was a rainbow. It was as if she was telling me she was at peace now.

Ever since then, when there has been an important event, there has been a rainbow. In the first year after she died, my niece was born. I was driving to work that morning, and I was just talking to my mom in the car. "Well, mom, you have a new niece. Wish you could see her." Suddenly, I looked off to the west, and there was a rainbow in the early morning sky. (Did you know rainbows only appear opposite the sun in the sky, and at a certain degree from the sun?)My brother (whose daughter that niece is) had a really hard time with my mom's death. He was the one who found her. So I told him about all the rainbows, and he said (atypically), "Well, I wish I could see one. Maybe I'd feel better."That weekend, I drove past my brother's house to visit the cemetery where mom is buried. As I came out of the cemetery, there was a rainbow in the sky opposite the exit. I quickly drove to my brother's and told him to get in the car. He did, and I drove him back to the cemetery. "See, mom sent you a rainbow." He couldn't believe it.

Carole -- I'm so glad you stopped by. Isn't that something that your mother, in her love, left you each a journal? I'm sorry for the heartache you've experienced, but thankful that you, your brothers and your father have each other still. Thanks for your kind words. I'm always thrilled to hear my books have provided a few hours of enjoyment and escape. BIG hugs to you, my friend. Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh, Janet -- you gave me chills. I love, love, love your story. Now, I'm going to think of you and your mom every time I see a rainbow. What a gift! I'm so glad your brother got to see his rainbow, too!

Kathleen, Wonderful interview. Thank you so for sharing such a personal look at your life in helping us understand what inspires you and your stories. I'm with you, each day it's up to us to choose what to focus on. One of my favorite gifts of a loved one who passed away is a rolling pin. Every time I bake, I think of her. It's as if she's with me in the kitchen. Very special. Take care and I wish you continued success!

Janet's story, and yours, Kath, are very inspiring. I was trying to think of what my parents left me and I guess I'd have to say the wisdom of right and wrong and a stack of untitled photos. My dad, on the other hand, left me Doves. Well, not really, but right after he died, a Dove perched itself on my patio and returned every day for a week. Now, whenever I see a Dove, I get a warm feeling and know it's him checking up on me.

As writers we pull from our past for our stories, but yours sounds so intriguing, I definitely have to read it. Thanks for sharing a part of your life with us.

Diana -- what a lovely gift and reminder. I can just imagine how wonderful it must be to think of your loved one each time you bake. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for sharing your special story! Much continued success to you, too. ;o)

Carolyn -- your story reminds me of sitting on the beach, the summer after our firstborn died. A gorgeous monarch butterfly came and set down on my arm...and stayed there. I've never felt such a sense of peace in my life. It was as if Emily was right there with me, telling me she was all right. I smile whenever I see a monarch. I love your story -- and I'll never look at a dove the same way again. ;o) Hugs, my friend!

Good Morning, Kath, and welcome to GLIAS...but it looks like a lot of people beat me here this morning.

I have my grandmother (Mommie) to thank for my love of reading. I was just telling my brother on Sunday that she read every day of her life. A romance novel (especially Harlequins) or the Bible. Every Day...never failed. Each of my grandparents gave me things, along with great recipies that I'm writing down for my own kids (and neices/nephews).

When my Dad died, it took me a long time to realize how much he'd influenced my life. Common sense...well, got that from my Dad. No handouts, work hard, don't lie, get an education (even if you have to read the encyclopedias), and keep your word.

Too many things to name...Thanks for the wonderful reminder, especially going into the Thanksgiving holiday.

I've always known you are amazing, Kath, but now I am positive it's a fact. I loved your post and am so proud of you for getting this book out. You know you've contributed to my daughter becoming a reader and she still talks about how much she loves your stories. :)

I have lots of treasures that have been left to me by loved ones. Today I'm saying it is five, three inch binders full of geneology that my Mom spent the last ten years of her life assembling. The books give me an insight to where my family has come from and pride in who they were - well, most of them anyway. ;)

LOL, Leslie! As you know, nothing's safe from me...especially not something as visual as a teen shaving off her eyebrows. I think what most amazes me about this book--now that it's officially been "born"--is how many life moments, conversations, etc. are woven throughout. I think we all do that as we write, but this one pulled so many together for me.

Conversely, my life now has elements from the book. That border collie wannabe Bernie loves so much? Now we love our own more than we could have imagined. And the yellow bear Bernie saves at the end of the book because you never know what the future might hold? Mine sits proudly on a shelf in our little girl's room, a little girl who's most definitely our most amazing dream come true. Isn't life...and writing...amazing?

Angi -- thank you so much for inviting me here to GLIAS! I love how thankful you are. ;o) I think the gift of reading is one of the most precious treasures one generation can hand to the next. I'm so glad your grandmother gave you that! Your father sounds as though he was a wonderful man, and I'm sure you miss him. And there you are, creating new memories and handing down family treasures to the next generation. ;o) ((Hugs)) and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Great interview, love your books. One of the treasures is the oak kitchen table and chairs with the claw feet, I use it everyday. My dad gave it to me. Also have pic and such that I charish. My dad also loved to read so I guess I got that from him. My mother was a cook so I got my cooking skills from her. I charish everything about my parents and the memories they left us with.

What a lovely comment, Virginia! Thank you for your kind words about my books, but thank you also for the reminder that much of our treasures can be found in the every day things/skills/loves we cherish.